DIY ceaning of a Truma boiler's burner?

[betsy]

Hi everyone,

Has anyone cleaned their Truma boiler's burner. I have done it on a number of motorhome fridges but never tackled a truma boiler.

Is there an easy way of getting at the burner?

Mine is a Trumatic C (not sure whether it is a C3402 or C6002 as the paperwork that came with the 'van does not really specify).

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[davenewellhome]

Hi Dick and welcome to the forum. Overhauling a Truma C boiler unit generally needs the unit taking out of the motorhome first. once you have it on the bench overhaul is fairly straight forward but you need to be competent to work on gas appliances, if in doubt pay a professional.

 

D.

[Derek Uzzell]

betsy,

 

If you download Operating Instructions for C-Series appliances from Truma's website, you should find that they contain a 'sectioned' view of the heater from which it will be evident that the burner is buried in the guts of the unit. As Dave said, once the appliance is out of the motorhome and on the work-bench, it shouldn't be that difficult to pull apart if you know what you are doing.

 

However, unless your heater is actually showing symptoms of needing internal attention, I would definitely leave the thing alone. The level of difficulty involved in cleaning the burner of a C-3402 or C-6002, compared to cleaning a fridge's burner, is on a par with the challenge of driving a Formula-1 racing car as opposed to driving a Ford Fiesta. (OK, that's an exaggeration, but you'll get my drift!)

 

C-Series appliances normally carry a label that identifies the type. If you can't see the label, then it probably means the heater is pretty hard to get at and, if that's the case, then removing it for attention won't be much fun.

[betsy]

Thank you both, I'm already learning a lot. There is no way I'd think about removing the whole boiler to my workshop bench.

The problem that I have been experiencing is that whilst the system works okay its heat output on my (2003 Hymer) does not seem to be as efficient in cold weather (like now) as the Truma system was in my last van (1997 HYmer). The present (second-hand German sourced) vehicle has, from all the Elks, reindeer and other north cape stickers on the rear, spent a fair amount of its 20,000miles up in the north of Europe so I reckoned that the Truma had been going for a while which would have explained a reduced output on "max" due to carboned-up burner(s).

Any other suggestions?

[Nobby]

Hi,

 

Is it possible that your earlier Hymer had the more powerful (C6002) boiler than your current van?

 

Nobby

[Derek Uzzell]

Betsy:

 

If you asked me whether you should expect your present 2003 Hymer's Truma C-Series heating system to be as effective as the one fitted to your 1997 Hymer, I'd seek to know model details of your present and past motorhomes and what heating set-up your old one had. As Nobby suggests, if there was a 6kW heater in your old motorhome and the heater in your current vehicle is a C-3402 (3.4kW output), then plainly you'll notice the difference. Alternatively, if your 1997 motorhome was a lot smaller than your current one, even if the heating appliances were similar in concept and/or output one might reasonably expect the present heater to be less effective.

 

I don't think Truma C-Series appliances 'go off' with time and/or usage, so, as long as your present heater lights up OK and reacts to the control-switch as one might expect, then it is probably producing the amount of heat it was designed to provide.

 

As a C-6002 is a monster on full power (like having a jet engine in the motorhome), I think your heater is probably a C-3402. This should be plenty adequate in a reasonably compact motorhome (say, a low-profile model up to 6.5m long), but may struggle a bit in larger vehicles.

 

Correct installation of C-Series appliances is vital. For optimum heating the appliance should be centralised in the motorhome, warm-air 'trunks' should be kept as short and straight as possible and all the trunks should be roughly the same length. If the ducts are overly long, or have lots of tight bends in them, or are led through cold areas (like between a double floor), heating performance will suffer. Make sure that all the trunks are securely 'plugged' into the outlet points at the heater's base and that none of the trunks are kinked or squashed. (C-Series appliances all have four outlet points. All four outlet points must be employed on C-6002 heaters, but just three can used on the C-3402.)

 

C-Series heaters are recirculatory, taking air from within the motorhome's living area, warming it and distributing it around the motorhome's interior via the blown-air trunking. For this to happen efficiently, the heater needs to be able to input air easily and many motorhome converters ignore this simple fact. If the appliance is being 'throttled' as far as its air-input is concerned, or is taking its air from a cold place (eg. a garage) rather from within the living-area itself, then it won't do as well as it could. I've seen some atrocious C-Series installations over time, where it was patently obvious that the appliance could not perform efficiently.

 

Although I've not owned a motorhome with a 'caravan' heating system (gas convector fire + separate gas boiler), I suspect that this can provide more even air-heating than a C-Series appliance. The latter heats on an On or Off basis, while the former tends more towards a continuous tick-over. If your 1997 Hymer had a convector fire, perhaps this has something to do with your perception of your present heater's shortcomings.

[Dave Newell]

As Derek says the installation plays a huge part in the overall effectiveness of the system. Hymer often mount the unit below the wardrobe and rarely put enough recirculatory air vents to allow free airflow into that space. If yours is below the wardrobe you could try removing (or opening the wardrobe floor panel and opening the wardrobe door then running the heater. If its performance is significantly better then there's your answer, more recirculatory air vents need putting into the heater cavity.

 

D.

[betsy]

Thank you all for your advice. I'll check its efficiency over the next few days, run over some of your suggestions and see how we go. Thanks again.

Dick

[gasgas]

Derek- and others

I've just found this link to English (HOORAY) user instructions for the Trumatic C6002 combi. Other models will be found on the same site.

http://dealer.truma.com/_anweisungen/Truma-Katalog/pdf_verzeichnis/30_000/34010_03500.pdf

 

It's 0 degrees outside and we want to go away in our MH.

[RubyExsis]

It's a big removal job just for a clean.

There is a detailed description and photos on the Hymer Exsis owners forum for replacing a burner unit posted by our 'stalwart' Barry. Sse freewebs .com/exsisowners

The Exsis was made from 2004-6 .

 

I can't say offhand where it is on the forum but if you really need it I would try to find it for you.

Fred

[lennyhb]

Put yer specs on guys this thread is 5 years old! (lol)

[Derek Uzzell]

Ruby(Exsis) - 2015-02-09 9:48 AM

 

It's a big removal job just for a clean.

There is a detailed description and photos on the Hymer Exsis owners forum for replacing a burner unit posted by our 'stalwart' Barry. Sse freewebs .com/exsisowners

The Exsis was made from 2004-6 .

 

I can't say offhand where it is on the forum but if you really need it I would try to find it for you.

Fred

 

I’m guessing you are referring to this thread

 

http://www.freewebs.com/exsisowners/apps/forums/topics/show/8881281

 

Barry’s advice/photos relate to a Truma B10 “Ultrastore” water-boiler, whereas this 2008/2009 thread was about a Truma C-Series ‘combination’ air/water heater - a very different beast.

[RubyExsis]

Thanks Derek for clearing up any confusion.

Your knowledge and ability to reference information is quite outstanding.

Fred

 

[habilis-abilis]

On my Truma heater the pipes tend to come off every so often so if the heater seems under par it's the first thing I check.

[Derek Uzzell]

habilis-abilis - 2015-02-11 10:48 AM

 

On my Truma heater the pipes tend to come off every so often so if the heater seems under par it's the first thing I check.

 

Welcome to the Out&AboutLive forums, Steve.

 

I’m guessing that you are referring to the air-ducting becoming detached from a Truma ‘combination’ air/water heater’s air-outlets.

 

This potential problem was discussed at some length here

 

http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Truma-6e-combi-part-ID-help-required/34221/

 

Regarding current “Combi” heaters, I don’t know what other motorhome manufacturers do but the 2014 Rapido model I last looked at had a self-tapping screw in each of its Truma Combi’s four air-outlets to secure the air-ducting in place.